The invention relates to a fraud-proof document comprising a carrier and at least one marking arranged on said carrier.
Such documents are generally known, for instance in the form of passports, driving licences, credit cards and the like.
The personalized markings can be formed by a passport photograph arranged on the carrier or a marking arranged on the carrier by means of ink, for instance a signature or a name printed on the carrier.
It will be apparent that when such a document falls into the hands of a forger, the forger will attempt to provide the document with different personalized markings, for instance with a different passport photograph and a different name, and so son. The forger will herein have to gain access to the markings originally applied to the carrier in order to remove or change them.
EP-A-0 626 275 discloses a fraud-proof document, comprising a carrier, provided with an aperture into which a passport photograph has been inserted. This leads to a weakening between the passport photograph and the carrier. To make forging difficult, the passport photograph and the aperture are cut by the same tool with a knurled edge so that the passport photograph fits exactly in the aperture and any attempt to replace the passport photograph will be immediately apparent. To fix the passport photograph in the carrier, a lamination is applied.
However this prior art document requires the tool to be present at the location where the personalisation, that is inter alia the unification with the passport photograph takes place.
FR-A-2 626 392 discloses a fraud-proof document wherein a passport photograph is applied onto the document. After this application embossing of the thus obtained unit takes place, leading to a possible weakening of the unit, but without removal of material.
The aim of the invention is to provide such a document wherein the weakening pattern can be applied before personalisation, leading to substantial logistic economies.
This object is achieved by providing a fraud-proof document, comprising a carrier and at least one marking arranged on said carrier, wherein at least a part of the surface of the carrier on which the marking is applied or along the periphery of the surface of the carrier on which the marking is applied a weakening pattern is provided by removal of carrier material, wherein the weakening pattern is arranged in the carrier only and, when detached, results in a permanent and easily visible distorsion of the pattern.
These features allow the document to be provided with the weakening before personalisation.
When removing the glued-on passport photograph or foil the forger will irrevocably distort the weakening pattern, this such that the regularity is permanently and visibly disturbed so that it is easy to ascertain that the document in question has been subjected to an attempted fraud.
According to a preferred embodiment the weakening pattern comprises a linear weakening arranged in the material of the document and extending along at least one line.
This weakening will tear when violated, so that a visible and irreversible distortion occurs.
According to a second embodiment the weakening lines extend in a regular structure so that distortions of the structure are immediately visible.
In accordance with the now provided, most effective embodiment, the weakening extends in a rectangular or dovetail-shaped toothing.
According to another preferred embodiment the weakening extends in spiral form.
According to yet another preferred embodiment the weakening extends at least partly in radial lines.
According to an attractive embodiment the linear weakening is formed at least partly by a perforation.
A preferred embodiment relates to such a document, wherein a transparent foil is adhered to the carrier, wherein when carrier and foil are separated the weakening pattern remains adhered partly to the foil and partly to the carrier.
Such a measure finds application inter alia in the Dutch passport. In order to remove a marking applied to such a carrier, the forger will first have to remove the foil. Because in accordance with said embodiment of the invention the weakening pattern remains adhered partly to the foil when the foil is removed, the distortion of the pattern will be permanently visible after the marking has been removed and replaced by a falsified marking and the foil returned to its position.
According to another preferred embodiment the visibility of the weakening pattern is accentuated by measures in the printing which result in greater contrast differences or colour differences. This makes the distortion of the pattern even more apparent.
According to yet another preferred embodiment the document imprinted and provided with at least one colour transition at the position of the weakening pattern. This makes distortion of the zone even more apparent.
According to yet another preferred embodiment the weakening is arranged by a laser spot.